This invention relates to a method for individualizing a hearing aid.
Successfully fitting a hearing-impaired individual with a hearing aid that is to correct for the hearing impairment is a critical factor which, among other things, determines the person's acceptance of the hearing aid. In this context it is not only the nature and degree of the hearing impairment that is of significance but there are various other factors as well, for instance the person's particular perception of loudness levels.
The disclosure document of the European patent application number EP-A2-0 661 905 describes one such method for fitting a person with a hearing aid. That earlier method addresses the correction of the damaged psycho-acoustic perception of an individual by a parameter adjustment in the hearing aid. The targeted correction uses as a reference value the statistically determined average auditory perception of persons with normal hearing.
The above-mentioned patent disclosure further indicates that a loudness scaling procedure is employed for establishing a dynamic-compression default setting in the hearing aid. This permits on an individualized basis the determination of the acquisition level in the case of inner-ear damage, and thus equally individualized compensation. Additional reference is made in this connection to the publications by Kiessling, Kollmeier and Diller titled “Outfitting and Rehabilitation with Hearing Aids” (1997, Thieme, Stuttgart, New York) and by Thomas Brand titled “Analysis and Optimization of Psychophysical Procedures in Audiology” (Oldenburg: Library and Information System of the University, 2000—148 pp., Oldenburg, Diss., Univ., 1999, ISBN 3-8142-0721-1).
The loudness standard serving as a reference was established based on a group of persons with normal hearing, employing, where possible, the same procedure for determining that standard auditory function that is used in the specific individual measurements.
Various investigations have made it evident that auditory perception can differ significantly even within the loudness standard. A summary of the data established is contained in the publication by C. Elberling titled “Loudness Scaling Revisited” (J Am Acad Audiol 10, pp 248 to 260, 1999).